Input PPIs soar in year ending in July; steel prices, lead times rise again, while lumber plunges.
While the economy has continued its forward progress through the summer, the Dodge Momentum Index has regressed somewhat as higher material prices and shortages of skilled labor continue to exert a strong influence over the construction sector.
August 09, 2021
Steel remains problematic. Steel Market Update reported on Tuesday that hot-rolled coil averaged $1860, more than four times the August 2020 low point of $440. Contractors report mills are quoting 11-12 month lead times for bar joists.
August 03, 2021
Total construction starts (in dollars) slumped 7% from May to June at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, but unadjusted starts soared 13% year-to-date, Dodge Data & Analytics reported on July 20. “All three major sectors (residential, nonresidential building, and nonbuilding) pulled back during the month…
July 28, 2021
Gap between costs and bid prices widens in June; steel climbs further, lumber tumbles in July.
July 20, 2021
Job openings, hires rates slip in May; Dodge Momentum Index declines in June but remains elevated
July 12, 2021
Nonresidential construction logs another employment decline in June, spending decrease in May
July 06, 2021
Construction jobs in May lag pre-pandemic peak in 42 states; AGC issues new Inflation Alert
June 28, 2021
The gulf between contractors’ costs and pricing widened again in May. The producer price index (PPI) for nonresidential building construction—a measure of the price that...
June 21, 2021
Construction employment falls in May; hourly earnings premium, hires decline in April; openings soar.
June 14, 2021
